No Thinking Allowed, Just Dance and Change!

The focus of this morning’s class is Stage 5 of FreeDance -Authentic Movement: Change! The intent is to identify our movement tendencies and experiment with new ways of moving.

In this stage we are invited to try new ways of moving by changing our movement radically during a song. We will explore allowing new movement to originate or organically arise from our body and sensation, not from our mind/thought or imagination.

This stage and process is entirely about sensation. We will know our movement has changed when we sense different sensations. No thinking allowed. Just move to the music, sense your body and change!

Let’s play – 10:30am at Delilah’s Belly Dance Studio in Fremont. Oh and check out my banner at the studio :)

You are the Creative Source

Nia on Monday eve's at Open Flight Studio is back after a two-week interruption!

The focus of tonight's class is stage 4 of FreeDance (principle 4): The Creative Source - The Real You.

In essence, we are invited to work with our most powerful resource, our internal energy, to initiate and cultivate our movement.

The intent is to recognize that you are your greatest source of movement creativity. This stage asks us to be real with our feelings and simply allow our emotions to guide our movements. We are invited to allow every emotion we are experiencing to fill our form and design our gestures. These gestures become our dance.

Join me tonight at 5:30pm at Open Flight Studio in the University District.

Acting "As If"- Telling an Emotional Story through Movement

The focus of tonight’s class is exploring the third stage of FreeDance: Act “As If.” In this stage, we play with expression of our feelings and emotions through movement. In essence, we tell an emotional story through our dance.

We will be invited to listen, dance and tell yourself a story to stimulate and connect to your emotional body. Give yourself completely to playing “pretend” and safely find a place of comfort in all the sensations that arise when you allow emotions to be part of who you are.

The body is designed to feel a full spectrum of emotions. When you are conscious of your emotions, you become an interactive feeling partner with your body. This stage reminds you to integrate your full range of feelings into your movement and experience of Nia.

Our dance will be inspired by the Voice of FreeDance from the perspective of the emotional body:

“To your emotional body I offer the ability to be real, to be authentic in ways that help you express yourself organically. In my dance, all desires, feelings, and emotions, your light and dark sides, are welcome and encouraged. Dance my dance and discover how freeing it is to let your emotions run freely.”

Allow me to hold the space for you to play and explore. See you tonight at 6:30pm at Fresh Fitness and Dance in Wallingford.

FreeDance Stage 1: Anything Goes

For the month of July we will be exploring and playing with expanding our personal movement vocabulary through the 8 stages of FreeDance.

Each stage provides an opportunity to witness your movement, change or tweak habits, and release any limitations or fears. Allow yourself to go through the process of emptying your mind, connect with body sensation, be stimulated by the music, and move in new expressive ways.

The focus of tonight’s class is the first stage of FreeDance, which is “Anything Goes Movement Wise.”

Voices of FreeDance

To your physical body I am the freedom vessel that allows you to do exactly what is most spontaneous and organic to you. Use me to free up any constraints so that your movement includes all gestures – mime, emotional expression, dance, walking, sitting, singing, playing and exploring.

To your mental body I offer a way into the creative void of consciousness. The place where everything is possible, where unlimited potential resides. My unbound, open, and playful way of thinking gives you free reign to explore and create with absolute mindfulness.

To your emotional body I offer the ability to be real, to be authentic in ways that help you express yourself organically. In my dance, all desires, feelings, and emotions, your light and dark sides, are welcome and encouraged. Dance my dance and discover how freeing it is to let your emotions run freely.

To your spiritual body I offer the permission to sit back and be taken into the unknown as a way to explore new heights of freedom and expression. Play and exploration is my way. I love to take you to the playground of all playgrounds – the unexplored moment.

Adapted from Nia Technique online resources

Embrace this invitation tonight to be spontaneous, theatrical, and expand beyond your movement habits. Listen deeply to the your body. Allow your movements to evolve organically. Quiet your mind and move freely, following your own whims. FreeDance is the art of interacting with the music to express what you deeply sense. It’s truly about movement your way and your body’s way!

I will be using a shorter version of the special 80-minute indepenDance day routine. I wish we had 80 minutes to dance tonight but we’ll have to make the best of 55 minutes of bliss ☺

Join me tonight for a journey to a playground of unexplored moments! Allow me to be your movement co-pilot. Class at 6:30pm at Fresh Fitness and Dance in Wallingford.

June 29 - July 4 schedule and special Day of IndepenDance class!

Hi everyone,

I am working on my July newsletter and will be sending it next week. In the meantime I wanted to make sure you are up to date on this week’s schedule since it is a holiday weekend!

Regular class schedule this week including:

• Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at 5:30pm at Community Fitness 65th St. Studio ($12 drop-in)
• Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 6:30pm at Fresh Fitness and Dance in Wallingford
• Saturday, July 2, 2011 at 1:00pm at Community Fitness Roosevelt Studio ($12 drop-in)
• Sunday, July 3, 2011 at 10:30am at Delilah’s Belly Dance Studio in Fremont

NO class on Monday evening July 4, 2011, 5:30pm at Open Flight Studio…instead I am teaching a special class in the afternoon. Details below.

Please join me for a Special IndepenDance Day class on Monday, July 4, 2011, 1pm in Greenwood:

Date: Monday, July 4, 2011

Time: 1:00pm - 2:20pm (80 min class)

Where: Civetta Dance Space in Greenwood - 124 N 103rd Street, Seattle, Washington 98133

Map: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=124+N+103rd+Street,+Seattle,+Washington+98133+&hl=en&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=33.901528,75.410156&z=16

Fee: $13

Class focus: The freedom and joy of FreeDance

Class description:

In this special class we will begin with a movement exploration of the five floor-based movements that make up the Nia 5 Stages. Knee pads will be provided. We will then experience an hour-long Nia class. Both parts of class will be done to music with the focus of FreeDance. We will be dancing to specific choreography and you will have an opportunity to explore your movements through a guided FreeDance. The intent of this special extended class is to discover your unique self-expression, experience freedom of movement, and to delve more deeply into your dance by using the stages of FreeDance.

Curious about the Nia 5 Stages, watch a short video demonstrating the five movements on my blog: http://everybodyloveyourbody.blogspot.com/2011/06/nia-5-stages-of-healing.html 

FreeDance was one of the most challenging aspects of Nia for me when I first started dancing back in 2003. It took time for me to let go and allow my body to move without fear of judgment or feeling awkward. I promise to guide you through the FreeDance songs with openness, love, and compassion. You will not experience any judgment in this class. Come play with me!

I am looking forward to dancing with you this week! Stay tuned for my July newsletter.

Happy IndepenDance day weekend :)

Jennifer